When visitors and passersby glance at your home, one of the first things they see is your roof. Roofing materials can make up 30 to 40 percent of your home’s visible exterior, so it’s crucial to select materials that complement your home’s style. After all, the wrong material can make even the best-designed roof appear out of place, despite how well it may function.
When you choose MR Roofing, you benefit from our years of experience helping fellow homeowners choose materials for their roofing projects, whether their home is a centuries-old stone farmhouse, a Colonial-era brick home, a classic Cape Cod, a Victorian townhouse, or a modern build.
With so much architectural variety, choosing between cedar, metal, and asphalt deserves special care. A bit of research and attention to detail can help you select a roofing material that provides long-term protection for your home while also ensuring it complements your home’s style.
Cedar: Timeless Character and Natural Beauty
Cedar is one of few roofing materials that offers incredible warmth and character. Its natural texture and rich tones create a classic, handcrafted look that complements traditional architecture beautifully. Over time, cedar weathers to a soft silvery gray, giving homes a sense of history and charm that’s hard to replicate.
At MR Roofing, we find that cedar is a natural fit for Colonial, Cape Cod, Tudor, and Craftsman-style homes, as well as stone farmhouses and historic properties found throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania. It’s also a popular choice for homes in wooded or rural settings because it blends naturally with the surrounding landscape.
Beyond its appearance, cedar offers natural insulating properties and impressive longevity when properly installed and maintained. As with other natural materials, it does require regular care to keep the cedar shakes looking their best. Programs like MR Roofing’s Peak Care Club maintenance program are designed to protect, inspect, and extend the lifespan of cedar roofs.
Metal: Classic Roots with Modern Appeal
Standing seam metal roofing is often associated with contemporary design, but it has deep roots in Pennsylvania’s architectural history. Metal roofs have long topped farmhouses, barns, and rural homes across the region, giving them a timeless, practical look.
Today’s standing seam metal roofs offer clean lines and a crisp, tailored appearance that works with a wide range of styles. They’re a natural fit for modern farmhouses, contemporary homes, agricultural buildings, and traditional farmhouses. A variety of colors and finishes are also available for seamless color matching, subtle blending, or a bold statement.
Metal is also an excellent choice for accent roofs, or small localized sections of roofing. At MR Roofing, we have customers who add standing seam metal over their porch, bay window, or entryway to create visual interest and highlight architectural details, even when the main roof is another material.
Asphalt: Versatile, Reliable, and Refined
Asphalt shingles are one of the most popular roofing choices, used in roughly 80 percent of all residential roofing projects. They’re versatile, reliable, and available in a wide range of colors and profiles to suit nearly any architectural style.
If you’re thinking of flat shingles from back in the day, you’ll be surprised to learn that today’s architectural shingles offer incredible dimension and texture. For example, GAF Timberline UHDZ® with UltraMat™ delivers a more dimensional, high-end appearance thanks to its patented Dual Shadow Line technology. These shingles also feature a Class 4 impact-resistance rating and come with a 30-year limited warranty against blue-green algae discoloration, offering both beauty and long-term protection.
Asphalt works well on traditional two story homes, ranches, Colonials, Cape Cods, and suburban homes. It’s a versatile roofing material that can be effortlessly matched to siding, stone, brick, and trim colors. As a GAF Master Elite® contractor, MR Roofing offers products that feature industry-leading product warranties and a 20-year workmanship guarantee for asphalt roofing systems.
Special Considerations for Historic Homes
Pennsylvania is home to many historic neighborhoods and properties, and roofing those homes requires an extra level of care. When it comes to replacing a roof on a historic home, preservation is key, along with performance and long-term durability.
In historic districts, there may be regulations about what materials you can use on the roof, as well as the color and profile. To ensure you are getting an appropriate roof for your home’s historical value while also meeting any city or district standards, it’s best to work with a roofing company that specializes in historic properties.
Copper flashing, gutters, and accents add to the authentic appearance and elegance when it comes to historic homes. Likewise, a well-crafted roof can help to maintain the architectural integrity of the home. MR Roofing, through SHC Historic Restorations, has years of experience working on unique and historic buildings and understands the importance of preserving these types of properties.
Mixing Materials for a Custom Look
You don’t have to stick to one roofing material. Many people use a combination of materials to create a distinctive look. For example, an asphalt or cedar roof can pair nicely with standing seam metal over a porch, adding contrast without making the home feel overdesigned. Copper accents can also be used to draw attention to certain architectural details.
Find the Perfect Roof with MR Roofing
Since 1994, MR Roofing has been helping homeowners and property owners in Pennsylvania and Maryland select and install beautiful, high-quality roofing. From classic cedar shakes to modern standing seam metal to versatile asphalt, our expert roofers can help you find the materials that best suit your home. Contact us today for a free estimate or give us a call at (717) 665-1752.